Overview

The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer in the state of Nevada. “Nevada Attorney General’s Office.” They have a role in prosecuting crimes that affect post-election processes and in setting guidance regarding legal issues in election administration and processing.

Election-Related Duties

The key duties of the Attorney General are:

1. Issuing legal opinions regarding election law or election regulations. Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 228.150(1), 293.247(5)(c). See, e.g., “Election Procedures Manual” at 90.

The Attorney General does not have an explicit prosecutorial or investigative role in election processes. However, as the top law enforcement officer, they have authority to take “exclusive charge” over any prosecution and can “[e]xercise supervisory powers over all district attorneys” who do have specific election-related responsibilities. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 228.120(2)-(3). See District Attorney.

Selection and Vacancy Information

• **Elected: ****The Attorney General is elected in a statewide election. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 228.020(1).
• Term of Office: The Attorney General is elected to four-year terms and may serve a maximum of two terms. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 228.020(2); Nev. Const. Art. V, § 19(2).
• Next Election: The next election for Attorney General will be in 2026 at the same time as the gubernatorial election. Nev. Const. Art. V, § 19(1).
• Qualifications: To serve as Attorney General, an individual must be at least 30 years old at the time of the election and eligible to vote in Nevada. They must also have been a resident for the last three years leading up to the election, and must be a member of the Nevada state bar. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 228.010.
• Vacancy: If the office of Attorney General is vacant, the Governor appoints a replacement to serve until the next election for the office of Attorney General. Nev. Const. Art. V, § 8.